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ClareR (5716 KP) rated Amazing Grace Adams in Books
Feb 27, 2023
Grace Adams has had enough, and frankly I don’t blame her. She’s gone from being “Polyglot of the Year”, to the mother of a 16 year old who won’t speak to her, and her husband (Ben) has just served her with divorce papers. She feels like she’s losing her mind.
As she rushes to get her daughters very expensive and very tiny birthday cake to her ex’s house (where she’s living), she abandons her car in a traffic jam and decides to walk there - and it’s a very hot day.
The story alternates between the present day, and the events leading up to when she met Ben and back to the present day. Within these flashbacks are the reasons why Grace is struggling with her life. None of these events are helped by the fact that she’s clearly not medically in a good place. Peri-menopause has a large part to play in her interactions with others, and how she’s coping at work and home. And other factors are revealed along the way.
Grace isn’t having an easy time of it, and all those things that could go wrong, have. I seriously felt like dragging her along to the chemist, forcing her to wait for her prescription (she has got one!), and slapping that HRT patch on for her myself! Not a solution, but a big help!
It’s so good to see more women being represented in literature in their mid to late forties now. And talking about the fun and games that is the perimenopause! Grace’s complete loss of self-confidence could be put down to it - although all the things going on with her daughter and husband could also be contributing factors!
I rather liked Grace, and I did a silent cheer every time she stood up to someone who deserved it! There are some really funny bits in amongst the more sombre parts.
This book is well worth a read!!
As she rushes to get her daughters very expensive and very tiny birthday cake to her ex’s house (where she’s living), she abandons her car in a traffic jam and decides to walk there - and it’s a very hot day.
The story alternates between the present day, and the events leading up to when she met Ben and back to the present day. Within these flashbacks are the reasons why Grace is struggling with her life. None of these events are helped by the fact that she’s clearly not medically in a good place. Peri-menopause has a large part to play in her interactions with others, and how she’s coping at work and home. And other factors are revealed along the way.
Grace isn’t having an easy time of it, and all those things that could go wrong, have. I seriously felt like dragging her along to the chemist, forcing her to wait for her prescription (she has got one!), and slapping that HRT patch on for her myself! Not a solution, but a big help!
It’s so good to see more women being represented in literature in their mid to late forties now. And talking about the fun and games that is the perimenopause! Grace’s complete loss of self-confidence could be put down to it - although all the things going on with her daughter and husband could also be contributing factors!
I rather liked Grace, and I did a silent cheer every time she stood up to someone who deserved it! There are some really funny bits in amongst the more sombre parts.
This book is well worth a read!!
Merissa (12038 KP) rated Shadow Bound (Shadow #1) in Books
Oct 20, 2023
SHADOW BOUND is the first book in the Shadow series, starting off with the Daughter of Death, Talia. Not only that, but you get a nice prologue that tells you about the love between her father and mother, and just what their situation was. I really liked that.
After the prologue, you move forward twenty-six years to find Talia packing for a new job after successfully defending her dissertation. All that changes when two Wraiths force their way into her home and kill her flatmate. Talia goes on the run, successfully hiding for a few months until her luck seems to run out. While this has been going on, Adam has been searching for her. She is the only one so far he has found that mentions 'Shadowman' and he is desperate to find her. He does, in the nick of time, and that's when the fun really starts.
Talia doesn't simply turn into a kick-ass bad-ass b!tch. Nope, she claws her way through her instincts to run and hide, only really coming into her own during the last part of the book. Adam is a bitter, arrogant jerk (with reason) who wants to use Talia at the beginning and, by the end, will do anything to protect her.
This is a fast-paced story that will keep you turning the pages. The world-building was great and really helped to set the scene, not only for this book but also for the others in the series. Talia and Adam are ably supported by a fascinating group of characters that I hope will be in later books. I found it to be a great start to the series and look forward to Custo's story, which is next.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 20, 2023
After the prologue, you move forward twenty-six years to find Talia packing for a new job after successfully defending her dissertation. All that changes when two Wraiths force their way into her home and kill her flatmate. Talia goes on the run, successfully hiding for a few months until her luck seems to run out. While this has been going on, Adam has been searching for her. She is the only one so far he has found that mentions 'Shadowman' and he is desperate to find her. He does, in the nick of time, and that's when the fun really starts.
Talia doesn't simply turn into a kick-ass bad-ass b!tch. Nope, she claws her way through her instincts to run and hide, only really coming into her own during the last part of the book. Adam is a bitter, arrogant jerk (with reason) who wants to use Talia at the beginning and, by the end, will do anything to protect her.
This is a fast-paced story that will keep you turning the pages. The world-building was great and really helped to set the scene, not only for this book but also for the others in the series. Talia and Adam are ably supported by a fascinating group of characters that I hope will be in later books. I found it to be a great start to the series and look forward to Custo's story, which is next.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 20, 2023
Debbiereadsbook (1194 KP) rated Music & Dreams (The Road to Rocktoberfest 2023) in Books
Nov 3, 2023
hits spots I didn't know needed hitting!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarain, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This book is part of the Rocktoberfest 2023 series, a multi author series. I haven't read any others, but they are all stand alone reads.
Lorcan is a rock star, high up the food chain. Rogan is his child's nanny slash teacher. Rogan has all the feels for Lorcan, but knows that's crossing boundaries. Lorcan has something for Rogan, but it isn't till there is an accident that Lorcan begins to feel for Rogan.
Sometimes, you need a super low angst book, with some smexy times and some difficult times thrown in. This book delivers on those levels, and it delivers beautifully!
Rogan has crushed on Lorcan from the start of his employment to teach Lorcan's daughter, Amy. Lorcan's feelings weren't so pronounced from the beginning, but having to look after Ro was an eye opener. And when Lor discovers Ro can sing?? The man was a goner!
I loved Lorcan, and Rogan and Amy as a unit. Amy will be a force to be reckoned with, when she gets older! She sees far too much for a little un, but she has a down to earth demeanor that everyone loves. The things she says to make Lor see Ro, REALLY see him, are far too wise!
I didn't find it especially explicit, but its not about that. This book is about seeing what's in front of you, or rather, who. And about Ro getting over his insecurities to finally be able to fulfill his dreams through HIS music, not just everyone else's.
I loved the guys in the band, Tibi and Finlee and I hope they get a story too.
Hitting spots that I really didn't know I needed hitting, and at short notice too, this was a wonderful read!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This book is part of the Rocktoberfest 2023 series, a multi author series. I haven't read any others, but they are all stand alone reads.
Lorcan is a rock star, high up the food chain. Rogan is his child's nanny slash teacher. Rogan has all the feels for Lorcan, but knows that's crossing boundaries. Lorcan has something for Rogan, but it isn't till there is an accident that Lorcan begins to feel for Rogan.
Sometimes, you need a super low angst book, with some smexy times and some difficult times thrown in. This book delivers on those levels, and it delivers beautifully!
Rogan has crushed on Lorcan from the start of his employment to teach Lorcan's daughter, Amy. Lorcan's feelings weren't so pronounced from the beginning, but having to look after Ro was an eye opener. And when Lor discovers Ro can sing?? The man was a goner!
I loved Lorcan, and Rogan and Amy as a unit. Amy will be a force to be reckoned with, when she gets older! She sees far too much for a little un, but she has a down to earth demeanor that everyone loves. The things she says to make Lor see Ro, REALLY see him, are far too wise!
I didn't find it especially explicit, but its not about that. This book is about seeing what's in front of you, or rather, who. And about Ro getting over his insecurities to finally be able to fulfill his dreams through HIS music, not just everyone else's.
I loved the guys in the band, Tibi and Finlee and I hope they get a story too.
Hitting spots that I really didn't know I needed hitting, and at short notice too, this was a wonderful read!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
ClareR (5716 KP) rated All the Broken Places in Books
Nov 4, 2023
Gretel Fernsby has a terrible secret that she’d rather others didn’t know. If you’ve read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, you’ll recognise the name: Gretel is the daughter of the camp Commandant of Auschwitz.
In short chapters, flashing between the past and the present, we learn about 91 year old Gretel’s past, and what happened when she and her mother escaped Germany.
Gretel is very well off, living in an expensive block of very large flats in central London. She doesn’t really have any friends, and seems to keep her true self from everyone including her son.
She is confronted with the memory of her younger brother, Bruno, when a boy of his age moves in to the downstairs flat. She realises that his father is violent, and his mother is abused. Gretel can’t let this kind of violence happen again.
The characters in this were superb. Whilst the first book had its problems with historical accuracy, I feel that this book centred more around trauma, guilt and shame. Gretel carries all of these things around with her forever. She feels culpable for what happened in the camp - even though she was both a child and female. In retrospect, she is able to see what was wrong with the nazi regime, but at the time would have been brainwashed. She wouldn’t have known a time where Jews and other “undesirable” minorities would have been treated any differently. The wonder is that she went on to learn that this was wrong. The trauma that she carries with her from the death of her brother, learning about what her father was guilty of, and occurrences in Paris, is lifelong.
From Gretel’s life experiences to those of her downstairs neighbour, everything is handled with compassion and tact. Again, it’s not perfect, but then neither are humans. And that is what this book shows above all: that we can learn from our mistakes if we are willing to do so.
In short chapters, flashing between the past and the present, we learn about 91 year old Gretel’s past, and what happened when she and her mother escaped Germany.
Gretel is very well off, living in an expensive block of very large flats in central London. She doesn’t really have any friends, and seems to keep her true self from everyone including her son.
She is confronted with the memory of her younger brother, Bruno, when a boy of his age moves in to the downstairs flat. She realises that his father is violent, and his mother is abused. Gretel can’t let this kind of violence happen again.
The characters in this were superb. Whilst the first book had its problems with historical accuracy, I feel that this book centred more around trauma, guilt and shame. Gretel carries all of these things around with her forever. She feels culpable for what happened in the camp - even though she was both a child and female. In retrospect, she is able to see what was wrong with the nazi regime, but at the time would have been brainwashed. She wouldn’t have known a time where Jews and other “undesirable” minorities would have been treated any differently. The wonder is that she went on to learn that this was wrong. The trauma that she carries with her from the death of her brother, learning about what her father was guilty of, and occurrences in Paris, is lifelong.
From Gretel’s life experiences to those of her downstairs neighbour, everything is handled with compassion and tact. Again, it’s not perfect, but then neither are humans. And that is what this book shows above all: that we can learn from our mistakes if we are willing to do so.
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Fear Street Part Three: 1666 (2021) in Movies
May 31, 2022
We get a recap of what has happened so far, much like in the previous film.
Deena has woken up in 1666,only her name is now Sarah and she is not the only person to be in this century. Every character from the past 2 movies are here too but all with different names, apart from Tommy who is now Thomas. It's all very confusing.
Anyway after a night of passion with the pastors daughter, strange things start to happen such as food going mouldy, a pig eating their young and Sarah's dog throws itself in the well. This leads to Sarah believing this is all her fault, and that she's being punished by the devil for her sins, and after a rather disturbing scene both hannah and Sarah are accused of being witches, and a witch hut begins to rid them from the earth.
Meanwhile, Sarah plans to save them both by making a deal with the devil revealing the truth about Sarah Friers curse.
I was surprised to find that only the first half of the movie was in 1666, as we are thrown back to 1994 as Deena comes out of her vision and realises what needs to be done to save shady side.
As I'm not really a fan of old time movies, I went into this expecting to hate it, but I actually ended up liking it. I liked that every moment throughout the series is answered and nothing is left hanging in the air. I thought the accents in 1666 were strange though, I couldn't tell what the accent was meant to be, Irish maybe!?!
I did enjoy the second half of the movie more than the first, it has a few light hearted funny moments which wasn't present in 1666, did they not have a sense of humour back then??
I liked that at the end of the movie it made way for another possible movie which would be interesting to see.
Deena has woken up in 1666,only her name is now Sarah and she is not the only person to be in this century. Every character from the past 2 movies are here too but all with different names, apart from Tommy who is now Thomas. It's all very confusing.
Anyway after a night of passion with the pastors daughter, strange things start to happen such as food going mouldy, a pig eating their young and Sarah's dog throws itself in the well. This leads to Sarah believing this is all her fault, and that she's being punished by the devil for her sins, and after a rather disturbing scene both hannah and Sarah are accused of being witches, and a witch hut begins to rid them from the earth.
Meanwhile, Sarah plans to save them both by making a deal with the devil revealing the truth about Sarah Friers curse.
I was surprised to find that only the first half of the movie was in 1666, as we are thrown back to 1994 as Deena comes out of her vision and realises what needs to be done to save shady side.
As I'm not really a fan of old time movies, I went into this expecting to hate it, but I actually ended up liking it. I liked that every moment throughout the series is answered and nothing is left hanging in the air. I thought the accents in 1666 were strange though, I couldn't tell what the accent was meant to be, Irish maybe!?!
I did enjoy the second half of the movie more than the first, it has a few light hearted funny moments which wasn't present in 1666, did they not have a sense of humour back then??
I liked that at the end of the movie it made way for another possible movie which would be interesting to see.
Merissa (12038 KP) rated The Third Veil in Books
Jun 21, 2023
THE THIRD VEIL is a historical fantasy romance that covers some touchy subjects, just so you know. If you have any triggers, check them first.
Seven is the unloved and abused daughter of the owner of a brothel and spends her days cleaning like a maid. She finds solace in Charlie, a young farmer who is her best friend and courting her quietly. But the heroine can't be happy at the beginning, now can they, so it came as no surprise when tragedy struck. Not only that but Seven is pushed into something she is wholly unprepared for. With both friends and foes looking for her, she needs to save the world. No pressure.
I found the beginning of this story to be a little slow although I understood it was doing the groundwork and building up to the big event. Once she was through the veil, it sped up and moved along nicely. There is a lot that goes on so you will need to concentrate on all the twists and turns. One thing that made this hard for me was listening to her constant monologue about how weak she was, how she couldn't do it, how she needed Draivus, etc. etc. I kept waiting for the moment when she would gain faith in herself and step up, but it never happened. I know she's supposed to be young but it just felt a little too much in the opposite direction for me.
There were parts of the story and the world that remain unclear to me but they didn't really affect my enjoyment.
A good read that I enjoyed and recommend.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 21, 2023
Seven is the unloved and abused daughter of the owner of a brothel and spends her days cleaning like a maid. She finds solace in Charlie, a young farmer who is her best friend and courting her quietly. But the heroine can't be happy at the beginning, now can they, so it came as no surprise when tragedy struck. Not only that but Seven is pushed into something she is wholly unprepared for. With both friends and foes looking for her, she needs to save the world. No pressure.
I found the beginning of this story to be a little slow although I understood it was doing the groundwork and building up to the big event. Once she was through the veil, it sped up and moved along nicely. There is a lot that goes on so you will need to concentrate on all the twists and turns. One thing that made this hard for me was listening to her constant monologue about how weak she was, how she couldn't do it, how she needed Draivus, etc. etc. I kept waiting for the moment when she would gain faith in herself and step up, but it never happened. I know she's supposed to be young but it just felt a little too much in the opposite direction for me.
There were parts of the story and the world that remain unclear to me but they didn't really affect my enjoyment.
A good read that I enjoyed and recommend.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 21, 2023
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated Saved by the Matchmaker (A Shanahan Match #2) in Books
Aug 28, 2024
Upon discovering this book, I was immediately drawn to its description. I have a penchant for history, especially when it's presented in a way that's not overly serious but still retains a hint of fiction. Having enjoyed the author's previous works, I was eager to delve into Saved by Matchmaker, fully anticipating the same level of personal enjoyment from her unique writing style that I've experienced before.
It is how it starts, and we meet a daughter named Enya, her father, and her brother. However, when Enya mentions that she is holding a secret that will harm her family's reputation, things get pulled into action when her brother rushes to meet the matchmaker named Bellemy.
We are also introduced to Sullivan O'Brien and his livelihood. Will Sullivan take his father's ultimatum and lose his life? Will I love Enya, and will they indeed find love with each other? Will Enya learn to trust Sullivan, or will she fall back when she compares her new husband to Brian? Will he overcome her trust issues and fall in love with Sullivan?
We see that Sullivan loves to free enslaved people, but will the enslaved person catch him captured? Enya seems to see and want to help her husband, or she has found an enslaved person while returning from New Orleans.
There was a fire that caused some boats to be lost. But will Sullivan save him and the enslaved person, or will he be lost to see when he daringly moves to have his boat floating away from other ships? Will he help save another boat so the fire does not spread, or was it someone who started fires? Was it an act of nature?
What does the matchmaker see in Enya? Why does he think Sullivan is a good match for Enya? There seems to be something Belmy sees in Enya, and she can see Sullivan as a match. Will it work? Belmy appears to have a knack for matchmaking to have them marry and fall in love.
It is how it starts, and we meet a daughter named Enya, her father, and her brother. However, when Enya mentions that she is holding a secret that will harm her family's reputation, things get pulled into action when her brother rushes to meet the matchmaker named Bellemy.
We are also introduced to Sullivan O'Brien and his livelihood. Will Sullivan take his father's ultimatum and lose his life? Will I love Enya, and will they indeed find love with each other? Will Enya learn to trust Sullivan, or will she fall back when she compares her new husband to Brian? Will he overcome her trust issues and fall in love with Sullivan?
We see that Sullivan loves to free enslaved people, but will the enslaved person catch him captured? Enya seems to see and want to help her husband, or she has found an enslaved person while returning from New Orleans.
There was a fire that caused some boats to be lost. But will Sullivan save him and the enslaved person, or will he be lost to see when he daringly moves to have his boat floating away from other ships? Will he help save another boat so the fire does not spread, or was it someone who started fires? Was it an act of nature?
What does the matchmaker see in Enya? Why does he think Sullivan is a good match for Enya? There seems to be something Belmy sees in Enya, and she can see Sullivan as a match. Will it work? Belmy appears to have a knack for matchmaking to have them marry and fall in love.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Truly Madly Guilty in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Erika has the whole event planned: an afternoon tea with her friend, Clementine, Clementine's husband, Sam, and the couple's two young daughters, Holly and Ruby. She even has a glittery art table set up for the youngsters. But the day is derailed when Erika runs into her next-door neighbor, Vid, who invites both couples over for a last minute barbecue. Erika and her husband, Oliver, aren't the last minute types; besides, they had something they needed to talk about with Clementine and Sam. But, Erika feels like obligated to say yes. Clementine and Sam are secretly relieved, as Vid and his beautiful wife Tiffany are far more personable than Erika and Oliver. The afternoon starts off well enough; Tiffany and Vid's daughter, Dakota, is even happy enough to hang out with Holly and Ruby. But by the time the night is over, lives will be changed, and all the adults--Sam and Clementine in particular--will find themselves wishing they never attended this impromptu event.
So we all know the drill by now. Liane Moriarty is a well-known master of dramatic suspense, especially at capturing the tension that hides behind ordinary lives. I went through a period where I read all of Moriarty's books; [b:What Alice Forgot|6469165|What Alice Forgot|Liane Moriarty|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1377159022s/6469165.jpg|6659752] and her last novel, [b:Big Little Lies|19486412|Big Little Lies|Liane Moriarty|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1399582436s/19486412.jpg|27570886], rank as two of my particular favorites. Anyway, Moriarty has become rather famous in the book world, with [b:Big Little Lies|19486412|Big Little Lies|Liane Moriarty|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1399582436s/19486412.jpg|27570886] being made into a 7-episode HBO TV series, starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman.
Of course, with such fame comes great responsibility. And pressure. Can a new work live up to the hype and excitement of the previous? This one will divide readers. It certainly has all the hallmarks of a typical Moriarty novel: a cast of women (and men) living ordinary lives on the surface, with a hidden veneer beneath. There's a secret layer to all of Moriarty's characters, though the drama associated with those in [b:Truly Madly Guilty|26247008|Truly Madly Guilty|Liane Moriarty|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1467061262s/26247008.jpg|49997474] may not live up to some of her other novels.
First of all, this book will frustrate you. The beginning is incredibly maddening, as Moriarty starts leading up to the events that happened at the barbecue... in slow, excruciating detail. As she does so, we alternate chapters with the present, with the point-of-view told from our various characters. We have Erika, a slightly repressed accountant whose life has been formed around her stressful childhood as the only daughter of her hoarder mother, and Erika's husband, Oliver, her equally steady mate, who grew up with alcoholic parents and longs for the same order in life as Erika. Clementine and Erika have been friends since childhood, when Clementine basically felt Erika's friendship was forced upon her by Clementine's social worker mother, who felt bad for Erika and her flea-infested home. Clementine is a cellist and a bit of a free spirit, but she's balanced by her more grounded husband Sam, who works in business at an energy drink company. They are parents to five-year-old Holly and two-year-old, Ruby. And then, finally, we have Erika and Oliver's neighbors, Vid and Tiffany. Swarthy, wealthy Vid is a joyous, open man who loves sharing his home (and his food) with friends and family. His gorgeous wife Tiffany is his pride and joy. Their quiet 10-year-old daughter, Dakota, just loves to read.
See how I just distracted you from the events of the barbecue by a description of the characters? Imagine that, for pages and pages! It's a great technique, don't get me wrong, but there was one point where I truly wanted to fling the book across the room. "JUST TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS!" I actually shouted in my (thankfully empty) bedroom. I've read some reviews that state that the big reveal, when it happens, isn't shocking enough, but I disagree: I think that event would certainly change my life and haunt my dreams (no more than that; a spoiler will truly ruin this book).
So while this novel can be a bit frustrating, it really is a Liane Moriarty book. It's compulsively readable. At first, I thought it was a very detailed look at three self-involved couples, but over time, I realized I had really fallen for Erika and Oliver and eventually, Tiffany and Vid, too (and Dakota, I loved Dakota!). Moriarty has a way of humanizing her characters and differentiating each from another: they all stand as individuals. Even Sam and Clementine, who were my least favorites, were their own people. It's the tiny details and pieces about each that she sticks in that really build your picture of each character in your mind. Much of the book takes place in the rain, and I could truly visualize each character and every event, unspooling, in this torrential Sydney downpour.
Overall, this book connected with me less on a dramatic, "oh my gosh" level (though that exists) but more on an emotional one. It speaks to the guilt we can all feel about life events--adults and kids alike--and potentially carry with us all of our days. Not a lot may happen in the book, per se, yet it's really a strong story of friendship, marriage, life, and loss. When I framed it in that perspective, versus looking purely for moments of dramatic tension, I realized I'd really enjoyed it. A strong 3.5 stars and definitely worth picking up. Just keep an open mind.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>;
So we all know the drill by now. Liane Moriarty is a well-known master of dramatic suspense, especially at capturing the tension that hides behind ordinary lives. I went through a period where I read all of Moriarty's books; [b:What Alice Forgot|6469165|What Alice Forgot|Liane Moriarty|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1377159022s/6469165.jpg|6659752] and her last novel, [b:Big Little Lies|19486412|Big Little Lies|Liane Moriarty|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1399582436s/19486412.jpg|27570886], rank as two of my particular favorites. Anyway, Moriarty has become rather famous in the book world, with [b:Big Little Lies|19486412|Big Little Lies|Liane Moriarty|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1399582436s/19486412.jpg|27570886] being made into a 7-episode HBO TV series, starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman.
Of course, with such fame comes great responsibility. And pressure. Can a new work live up to the hype and excitement of the previous? This one will divide readers. It certainly has all the hallmarks of a typical Moriarty novel: a cast of women (and men) living ordinary lives on the surface, with a hidden veneer beneath. There's a secret layer to all of Moriarty's characters, though the drama associated with those in [b:Truly Madly Guilty|26247008|Truly Madly Guilty|Liane Moriarty|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1467061262s/26247008.jpg|49997474] may not live up to some of her other novels.
First of all, this book will frustrate you. The beginning is incredibly maddening, as Moriarty starts leading up to the events that happened at the barbecue... in slow, excruciating detail. As she does so, we alternate chapters with the present, with the point-of-view told from our various characters. We have Erika, a slightly repressed accountant whose life has been formed around her stressful childhood as the only daughter of her hoarder mother, and Erika's husband, Oliver, her equally steady mate, who grew up with alcoholic parents and longs for the same order in life as Erika. Clementine and Erika have been friends since childhood, when Clementine basically felt Erika's friendship was forced upon her by Clementine's social worker mother, who felt bad for Erika and her flea-infested home. Clementine is a cellist and a bit of a free spirit, but she's balanced by her more grounded husband Sam, who works in business at an energy drink company. They are parents to five-year-old Holly and two-year-old, Ruby. And then, finally, we have Erika and Oliver's neighbors, Vid and Tiffany. Swarthy, wealthy Vid is a joyous, open man who loves sharing his home (and his food) with friends and family. His gorgeous wife Tiffany is his pride and joy. Their quiet 10-year-old daughter, Dakota, just loves to read.
See how I just distracted you from the events of the barbecue by a description of the characters? Imagine that, for pages and pages! It's a great technique, don't get me wrong, but there was one point where I truly wanted to fling the book across the room. "JUST TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS!" I actually shouted in my (thankfully empty) bedroom. I've read some reviews that state that the big reveal, when it happens, isn't shocking enough, but I disagree: I think that event would certainly change my life and haunt my dreams (no more than that; a spoiler will truly ruin this book).
So while this novel can be a bit frustrating, it really is a Liane Moriarty book. It's compulsively readable. At first, I thought it was a very detailed look at three self-involved couples, but over time, I realized I had really fallen for Erika and Oliver and eventually, Tiffany and Vid, too (and Dakota, I loved Dakota!). Moriarty has a way of humanizing her characters and differentiating each from another: they all stand as individuals. Even Sam and Clementine, who were my least favorites, were their own people. It's the tiny details and pieces about each that she sticks in that really build your picture of each character in your mind. Much of the book takes place in the rain, and I could truly visualize each character and every event, unspooling, in this torrential Sydney downpour.
Overall, this book connected with me less on a dramatic, "oh my gosh" level (though that exists) but more on an emotional one. It speaks to the guilt we can all feel about life events--adults and kids alike--and potentially carry with us all of our days. Not a lot may happen in the book, per se, yet it's really a strong story of friendship, marriage, life, and loss. When I framed it in that perspective, versus looking purely for moments of dramatic tension, I realized I'd really enjoyed it. A strong 3.5 stars and definitely worth picking up. Just keep an open mind.
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Ben Howkins (7 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Feb 17, 2019
Muddled plot (1 more)
Forced ending
Alita's more mortal than angel
The basic plot of the film is: about 300 years after a large war called “The Fall” a cyborg repairer/ doctor called Dr Dyson Ido finds the dismembered but still functioning body of a young girl in the scrapheap of rubbish dumped from Zalem, the last remaining sky city from before “The Fall”. After Ido is able to connect the remains to a cyborg body he had made for his late daughter, the girl awakes with no memories of who or what she is. To help her, Ido decides to look after, treating her as if she had a new start in life, even giving her a new name, Alita, after his late daughter whose body she had. Unfortunately though whilst creating her new life in Iron City, Alita starts to remember things about her past and who she truly is, learns that some of the people who she thinks she knows aren’t quite what they seem and most worryingly starting to attract the attention of some bad people.
If I am going, to be honest, both the movie and performances are on a hit and miss scale. Rosa Salazar who is the face and performance of the leading lady is quite good. She portrays Alita’s emotional and mental journey/ life cycle throughout the film to a high standard, evolving from the naive young girl at the very start when she knows and is nothing, through her lovesick and difficult middle period (teenage years if you will) and finishing with starts to truly knowing who she is and what she must do. Christoph Waltz is like always very good as Dr Dyson Ido. The different sides he showed of his character, sometimes switching and showing multiple in a single scene, is quite impressive. These include lighter ones like the loving father figure towards Alita and the doctor who is willing to help everyone sometimes for nothing in return, to his darker side like his secret “night job” and his hatred and disdain towards Zalem and their murderous entertainment “Motorball”. I will also give an honourable mention to Ed Skrein who plays bounty hunter Zapan. Out of the multiple known names who have middle to lower importance parts he was definitely the best as his (what I would say) known style of emotionless bad guy fits perfectly to his character.
But as I said there were definite misses to these hits, biggest one being Keean Johnson who plays Alita’s first friend turned love interest Hugo. The problem with Hugo isn’t all Johnson’s performance, though that is quite flat and unengaging, but that Hugo was unfortunately terribly written and just doesn’t really have anything about him. Another miss, performance wise, was the fact that there were a few big well-known actors and actresses who they didn’t use to their potential, again due to poor writing. An example is Mahershala Ali who plays Vector, an entrepreneur linked into “Motorball”. Though he is what I would regard as a “B Level Character”, nothing is done with him to use or explore his story, which I believe could have helped a bit with the story.
Like the performances, the film itself is also hit and miss, unfortunately with the later are bigger in weight than the former. Start with the good, Visually this movie is as stunning as it is billed. Though you can tell it’s mostly CGI, Alita still looks absolutely beautiful and some of the other cyborg/ robotic characters look just as good, particularly Zapan. Also, the performances I said were good were very good.
For all the lovely visuals and good performances, the biggest problem for the movie is the script. It is incredibly muddled up, jumping from one thing to the next at such a quick rate that it is hard to follow and even sometimes see the link between scenes. The movie also, in my opinion, finishes without a true ending. It is clear it was set up for a sequel but I feel there could have been at least another 10-20 minutes more to tie it up/ tide us properly over.
Overall I was really disappointed with Alita. With the team involved, I believed it had potential to be this decade “Avatar” but instead just ended up being another mediocre futuristic action drama.
If I am going, to be honest, both the movie and performances are on a hit and miss scale. Rosa Salazar who is the face and performance of the leading lady is quite good. She portrays Alita’s emotional and mental journey/ life cycle throughout the film to a high standard, evolving from the naive young girl at the very start when she knows and is nothing, through her lovesick and difficult middle period (teenage years if you will) and finishing with starts to truly knowing who she is and what she must do. Christoph Waltz is like always very good as Dr Dyson Ido. The different sides he showed of his character, sometimes switching and showing multiple in a single scene, is quite impressive. These include lighter ones like the loving father figure towards Alita and the doctor who is willing to help everyone sometimes for nothing in return, to his darker side like his secret “night job” and his hatred and disdain towards Zalem and their murderous entertainment “Motorball”. I will also give an honourable mention to Ed Skrein who plays bounty hunter Zapan. Out of the multiple known names who have middle to lower importance parts he was definitely the best as his (what I would say) known style of emotionless bad guy fits perfectly to his character.
But as I said there were definite misses to these hits, biggest one being Keean Johnson who plays Alita’s first friend turned love interest Hugo. The problem with Hugo isn’t all Johnson’s performance, though that is quite flat and unengaging, but that Hugo was unfortunately terribly written and just doesn’t really have anything about him. Another miss, performance wise, was the fact that there were a few big well-known actors and actresses who they didn’t use to their potential, again due to poor writing. An example is Mahershala Ali who plays Vector, an entrepreneur linked into “Motorball”. Though he is what I would regard as a “B Level Character”, nothing is done with him to use or explore his story, which I believe could have helped a bit with the story.
Like the performances, the film itself is also hit and miss, unfortunately with the later are bigger in weight than the former. Start with the good, Visually this movie is as stunning as it is billed. Though you can tell it’s mostly CGI, Alita still looks absolutely beautiful and some of the other cyborg/ robotic characters look just as good, particularly Zapan. Also, the performances I said were good were very good.
For all the lovely visuals and good performances, the biggest problem for the movie is the script. It is incredibly muddled up, jumping from one thing to the next at such a quick rate that it is hard to follow and even sometimes see the link between scenes. The movie also, in my opinion, finishes without a true ending. It is clear it was set up for a sequel but I feel there could have been at least another 10-20 minutes more to tie it up/ tide us properly over.
Overall I was really disappointed with Alita. With the team involved, I believed it had potential to be this decade “Avatar” but instead just ended up being another mediocre futuristic action drama.
Amanda (96 KP) rated Little Fires Everywhere in Books
Mar 21, 2019
I was so close to putting this book on my DNF list. The beginning of it was SO slow that I found myself spacing out and then remembering that I was listening to a book.
Obviously, I'm writing a review on it, so of course, I DID NOT put it on my DNF list. It took quite a few chapters (roughly five I think) to really get into the story and by then, I was completely hooked.
There are several stories going on.
The Richardsons rent out a house to a single mother, Mia Warren with her daughter Pearl. The Richardsons are friends with another family who are in the process of adopting a Chinese-American baby, but the process is paused when the mother comes forward wanting her daughter back. The husband, Mr. Richardson, is a lawyer representing the family who want to keep the baby and Mrs. Richardson basically tries to do some investigating of her own, including finding out things about her tenants past and what she has done to cause this drama for her best friends.
The theme of it all centers around a baby. Not just one baby, but that's the whole premise of the story.
One family wants to adopt the Chinese baby they renamed Mirabelle (I'm sorry, but I really don't like that name, or the reason WHY they changed it) and then the mother coming forward wanting her baby back. Now, the mother left her baby at a fire house cause she was not the right state to take care of her. If someone hadn't tipped her off as to where her baby was, then maybe this whole thing could have been avoided.
I struggled with not yelling at when the woman says the family is stealing her baby. No, they are not. They adopted her when she was left at a fire house. That is a thing that women in her state CAN do. If they cannot afford resources available (cost wise) they can leave their baby with a hospital or a fire house no questions asked. That also means that you give up parental rights. Granted, there should be some sort of grace period, but you cannot say this family stole your baby, because they didn't!
One teenager in the story finds out she's pregnant from her boyfriend and I just cannot fathom her snobby naivete attitude. She swoons over Mirabelle because she's so cute. I'll give you that, babies are cute. But then she starts to fantasize that her and her also teenage boyfriend could work it out and their parents would take care of the baby while at college. Yeah, okay! Reality does hit her hard though, but I won't say how, but it does and I almost feel bad for her, but not quite.
Then there's someone who agreed to be a surrogate and winds up stealing the baby before it was born. Now, technically, that woman did steal a baby. Granted, it's biologically yours, but she agreed, verbally and legally, to be this couple's surrogate. I'm not entirely sure I could do it, cause I really don't want to go through the whole pregnancy, but I can't speak for other women who go into the surrogacy and then start to regret it later. I don't know.
I'm now just babbling. Despite the slow beginning, I can definitely see why this book had as much hype as it did when it was published. It really gets you thinking about different perspectives of motherhood, biological or not. The story is told as if someone was indeed telling a story to a group of people. Almost like when someone is narrating a play and you're watching it as it unfolds before your eyes.
I do look forward to seeing about Celeste Ng's previous novels. This story may be sensitive to some people who have gone through any of these scenarios because I think some things that happen later, could very well get emotional. The story is great, but also keep that in mind if you are at all familiar with these kinds of stories.
Obviously, I'm writing a review on it, so of course, I DID NOT put it on my DNF list. It took quite a few chapters (roughly five I think) to really get into the story and by then, I was completely hooked.
There are several stories going on.
The Richardsons rent out a house to a single mother, Mia Warren with her daughter Pearl. The Richardsons are friends with another family who are in the process of adopting a Chinese-American baby, but the process is paused when the mother comes forward wanting her daughter back. The husband, Mr. Richardson, is a lawyer representing the family who want to keep the baby and Mrs. Richardson basically tries to do some investigating of her own, including finding out things about her tenants past and what she has done to cause this drama for her best friends.
The theme of it all centers around a baby. Not just one baby, but that's the whole premise of the story.
One family wants to adopt the Chinese baby they renamed Mirabelle (I'm sorry, but I really don't like that name, or the reason WHY they changed it) and then the mother coming forward wanting her baby back. Now, the mother left her baby at a fire house cause she was not the right state to take care of her. If someone hadn't tipped her off as to where her baby was, then maybe this whole thing could have been avoided.
I struggled with not yelling at when the woman says the family is stealing her baby. No, they are not. They adopted her when she was left at a fire house. That is a thing that women in her state CAN do. If they cannot afford resources available (cost wise) they can leave their baby with a hospital or a fire house no questions asked. That also means that you give up parental rights. Granted, there should be some sort of grace period, but you cannot say this family stole your baby, because they didn't!
One teenager in the story finds out she's pregnant from her boyfriend and I just cannot fathom her snobby naivete attitude. She swoons over Mirabelle because she's so cute. I'll give you that, babies are cute. But then she starts to fantasize that her and her also teenage boyfriend could work it out and their parents would take care of the baby while at college. Yeah, okay! Reality does hit her hard though, but I won't say how, but it does and I almost feel bad for her, but not quite.
Then there's someone who agreed to be a surrogate and winds up stealing the baby before it was born. Now, technically, that woman did steal a baby. Granted, it's biologically yours, but she agreed, verbally and legally, to be this couple's surrogate. I'm not entirely sure I could do it, cause I really don't want to go through the whole pregnancy, but I can't speak for other women who go into the surrogacy and then start to regret it later. I don't know.
I'm now just babbling. Despite the slow beginning, I can definitely see why this book had as much hype as it did when it was published. It really gets you thinking about different perspectives of motherhood, biological or not. The story is told as if someone was indeed telling a story to a group of people. Almost like when someone is narrating a play and you're watching it as it unfolds before your eyes.
I do look forward to seeing about Celeste Ng's previous novels. This story may be sensitive to some people who have gone through any of these scenarios because I think some things that happen later, could very well get emotional. The story is great, but also keep that in mind if you are at all familiar with these kinds of stories.